Ryan O’Reilly skates before the Avalanche’s game against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 19. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Before I take off for some needed R’n’R, one last “Hockey Talk” here. Ryan Boulding of Mile High Sports is my guest, and Ryan O’Reilly is the main topic, a discussion of his two-year, $12 million deal signed Wednesday. Is this the start of a beautiful new relationship again, or is it just a two-year bridge to when he’ll either bolt unrestricted or get traded first?

Was there a winner in this latest negotiation? A loser? We break it all down.

In his first and only season with the Avalanche, the affable Andre Benoit played in 79-of-82 regular season games and all seven in the playoffs. The 5-foot-11 defenseman amassed career-highs in goals (seven) and points (28 points). He seemed to be an outstanding teammate, certainly liked by all the guys, and a solid pro.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.

Chambers covers college and professional hockey for The Denver Post. He has written for the Post since 1994, after dumping his first 9-to-5 office job a couple years out of college. He primarily follows the University of Denver hockey team and helps cover the Avalanche.